Global health is rapidly emerging as a crucial field of study, addressing pressing societal concerns with a robust interdisciplinary approach. It’s not just about healthcare; it’s a powerful intellectual synthesis that seeks to understand and effectively intervene in the complex dynamics of health, illness, and healing across the world. The Global Health Program, as outlined here, embodies this expansive view, structured by two core principles of “global”: a planetary geographical scope and a holistic, interdisciplinary intellectual approach.
This program is meticulously designed to provide students with a profound understanding of the multifaceted factors influencing health outcomes worldwide. It moves beyond national boundaries and regional interests, embracing cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding as fundamental elements. The core mission of global health is to achieve health equity for all people, regardless of location or background. It’s a dynamic field that integrates population-based prevention strategies, personalized clinical care, strategic health policy development, program implementation, and a deep appreciation for the diverse cultural experiences shaping perceptions and responses to illness and wellness.
The breadth of the Global Health Program is extensive, encompassing critical areas such as healthcare delivery systems, health education initiatives, the profound impact of environmental factors on health, the challenges of infectious diseases, mental health and well-being, the pervasive issue of health inequalities, the long-term health consequences of natural disasters and political violence, the value of indigenous healing practices, nutritional health, and reproductive health. The curriculum is intentionally comprehensive, drawing from social sciences, biological sciences, and humanities to provide a well-rounded perspective. Furthermore, it strategically balances theoretical knowledge with practical, experiential learning. A cornerstone of the program is the Global Health Field Experience, offering invaluable hands-on opportunities at research, service, or clinical sites both domestically and internationally. This program is structured to equip students for diverse career paths in research, education, service organizations supporting immigrant populations, governmental health agencies, health sciences, and law. The program’s emphasis on research and writing skills also makes it an exceptional foundation for those aspiring to medical or graduate studies.
The Horizons Honors Thesis Program: Elevating Global Health Scholarship
For Global Health majors seeking an enriched academic experience, the Horizons Honors Thesis Program offers an exceptional opportunity. Available to BA and BS Global Health majors in their junior year, this two-quarter honors seminar builds upon UC San Diego’s unique college system, exploring the intersection of global health with themes central to each college, such as international relations, environmental stewardship, law and ethics, technology, humanities, and public service. This seminar also provides a platform for students to delve deeper into and share insights gained from their Global Health Field Experience with their peers.
The first quarter of the seminar is dedicated to intensive reading and in-depth discussions within fields aligned with each student’s primary interests and field experience. The second quarter transitions into a workshop format, fostering collaborative critical feedback among participants to refine and prepare a senior thesis. This thesis serves as a significant credential for students as they advance in their careers and apply for graduate academic or professional programs. The culmination of the program is the annual Horizons of Global Health capstone conference, held each spring quarter. This conference brings together Global Health majors and minors, along with the wider campus community, featuring a distinguished guest speaker renowned in the field of global health and presentations of theses by the graduating honors participants.
Honors Program Eligibility:
- Must be a Global Health major (BA or BS) in the junior year, on track to graduate the following academic year.
- Maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.5.
- Successful completion of GLBH 148 and GLBH 181 with a grade of B or higher by spring quarter of the junior year.
- Completion of the Global Health Field Experience requirement prior to enrolling in the senior capstone seminar, with the Field Experience ideally in progress at the time of application.
- Accepted students will enroll in:
- GLBH 150A. Global Health Honors Capstone Seminar I: Medical Social Science Elective
- GLBH 150B. Global Health Honors Capstone Seminar II: Medical Humanities Elective
Note: Coursework completed in the honors thesis program can be applied towards one medical social science elective and one medical humanities elective.
Bachelor of Arts in Global Health: A Comprehensive Curriculum (Seventeen Courses/Sixty-Eight Units)
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Global Health offers a robust and interdisciplinary curriculum requiring seventeen courses, totaling sixty-eight units. All courses applied to the major must be completed with a letter grade of C– or better. The BA curriculum is structured around nine core courses designed to equip students with essential hard skills, analytical tools, and a comprehensive understanding of the key debates within global health.
I. Lower-Division Core Requirements (Three Courses/Twelve Units)
All BA in Global Health students are required to complete three lower-division core courses:
Choose one introductory course from:
- HILD 30. History of Public Health
- GLBH 20. Introduction to Global Health
Choose one course from the following interdisciplinary options:
- SOCI 30. Science, Technology, and Society
- SOCI 40. Sociology of Health-Care Issues
- SOCI 70. General Sociology for Premed Students
- PHIL 26. Science, Society, and Values
- GLBH 20. Introduction to Global Health (if not taken as the introductory course)
Complete one statistics course to build quantitative skills:
- PSYC 60. Introduction to Statistics
- POLI 30 or 30D. Political Inquiry
- MATH 11/11L. Calculus-Based Introductory Probability and Statistics
- COGS 14B. Introduction to Statistical Analysis (prerequisite COGS 14A)
II. Upper-Division Core Requirements (Four Courses/Sixteen Units)
The upper-division core of the BA in Global Health consists of four essential courses:
- GLBH 148. Global Health and Cultural Diversity (cross-listed with ANSC 148) – Explores the critical role of culture in shaping health and healthcare practices around the world.
- GLBH 181. Essentials of Global Health – Provides a foundational understanding of the key concepts, challenges, and approaches in the field of global health.
- MGT 173. Project Management: Health Services – Develops essential project management skills specifically tailored for health service contexts.
Choose one course in policy analysis to understand health policy frameworks:
- GLBH 160. Global Health Policy
- POLI 160AA. Introduction to Policy Analysis (prerequisites: POLI 10 or POLI 11)
- POLI 170A. Introductory Statistics for Political Science and Public Policy
- USP 147. Case Studies in Health-Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Populations
- HISC 180. Science and Public Policy
- ECON 130. Public Policy (prerequisites: ECON 2 or ECON 100A)
- ENVR 110. Environmental Law
- USP 133/SOCI 152. Social Inequality and Public Policy
- USP 171. Sustainable Development
III. Field Experience Requirement: Practical Application of Global Health Principles
(Detailed information provided below)
IV. Electives: Deepening Interdisciplinary Expertise (Ten Courses/Forty Units)
A significant component of the BA in Global Health is the elective coursework, designed to reinforce the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Eight out of the ten electives must be upper-division courses. Students are required to gain coursework across several key disciplinary areas:
- Three Biological Science Courses: At least one must be upper division, providing a foundation in the biological underpinnings of health and disease.
- Three Medical Social Science Courses: Exploring the social, cultural, and behavioral dimensions of health and illness.
- One Medical Humanities Course: Examining the ethical, historical, and philosophical aspects of healthcare and human well-being.
- One Global Processes Course: Understanding the broader global forces that shape health outcomes worldwide.
- One Upper-Division Significant Writing Course: Chosen from any elective category, to enhance critical thinking and communication skills through in-depth writing.
- One Additional Upper-Division Elective: From biological science, medical social science, or medical humanities, allowing for further specialization.
Bachelor of Science in Global Health: A Science-Focused Approach (Twenty-Four Courses/Ninety-Six Units)
The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Global Health offers a more science-intensive pathway, requiring twenty-four courses totaling ninety-six units. Similar to the BA, all courses applied to the major must be completed with a letter grade of C– or better.
I. Lower-Division Core Requirements (Twelve Courses/Forty-Eight Units)
The BS in Global Health has a more extensive lower-division core, emphasizing a strong foundation in the sciences:
Complete two courses from the following introductory options:
- GLBH 20. Introduction to Global Health
- HILD 30. History of Public Health
- PHIL 26. Science, Society, and Values
- PSYC 1. Psychology
- SOCI 30. Science, Technology, and Society
- SOCI 40. Sociology of Health-Care Issues
- SOCI 70. General Sociology for Premed Students
Foundational Science Coursework:
- One year of biology: BILD 1, BILD 2, BILD 3
- One year of chemistry and lab: CHEM 6A-B-C and 7L
- One year of mathematics and statistics: MATH 10A-B and MATH 11 or PSYC 60 or MATH 20A-B and MATH 11 or PSYC 60
II. Upper-Division Core Requirements (Four Courses/Sixteen Units)
The upper-division core for the BS in Global Health mirrors the BA, ensuring all students gain a common understanding of core global health principles:
- GLBH 148. Global Health and Cultural Diversity
- GLBH 181. Essentials of Global Health
- MGT 173. Project Management: Health Services
- Choose one course in policy analysis from the list provided for the BA degree (see above).
III. Field Experience Requirement: Applying Scientific Knowledge in Real-World Settings
(Detailed information provided below)
IV. Electives: Specialization in Scientific and Medical Disciplines (Eight Courses/Thirty-Two Units)
The BS in Global Health requires eight elective courses, all of which must be upper-division, further emphasizing the interdisciplinary character of the field with a science focus.
- Three Biological Science Courses: Building in-depth knowledge in specific areas of biology relevant to global health.
- Four Medical Social Science Courses: Integrating the social and behavioral sciences to understand health challenges holistically.
- One Medical Humanities Course: Providing ethical and humanistic perspectives within a science-oriented framework.
Global Health Field Experience Requirement: Bridging Theory and Practice
The Global Health Field Experience is a defining feature of both the BA and BS programs. This hands-on project is undertaken at a research, service, or clinical site, either within the United States or internationally. All Field Experience placements require approval from the advisory committee, as well as the Study Abroad UC San Diego office for international placements and the Academic Internship Program for domestic placements. The Field Experience is designed to focus on critical global health issues, including healthcare access, health education, environmental health impacts, infectious diseases, mental health, health disparities, the health consequences of disasters and violence, indigenous healing traditions, nutrition, and reproductive health. Aligned with the university’s commitment to experiential learning, the Global Health Field Experience aims to enhance students’ knowledge, skills, and cultural sensitivity, engaging their “mind, hands, and heart” to achieve learning outcomes that are scientific, practical, and humanistic.
Field Experience Requirements:
- A minimum of one hundred hours of engagement, which may be distributed across up to three different programs.
- Field Experiences can be completed domestically or internationally, subject to approval.
- Field Experiences can be non-credit bearing or for academic credit (details below).
Core Criteria for Field Experience Placements:
- Must provide meaningful and challenging tasks for students that contribute to the agency’s mission and client services.
- Must offer students direct interaction with clients or individuals directly serving clients.
- Must provide opportunities for students to gain knowledge about global health issues and observe them in practical settings.
- Must include on-site orientation, training, and ongoing supervision by a designated agency staff member.
- Students must provide proof of adequate health insurance and participate in a mandatory pre-departure orientation for international programs.
Credit-Bearing Field Experience: With prior approval via petition, students can enroll in a maximum of two Independent Study (GLBH 199) or Directed Group Study (GLBH 198) courses, under the mentorship of a Global Health affiliated faculty member. This allows students to earn academic credit for their non-credit bearing Field Experience by engaging in required readings, reflective journaling, and academic papers, as agreed upon with their faculty mentor. The academic component aims to contextualize the Field Experience within the broader interdisciplinary scholarly literature on global health. Credits earned through the program or via GLBH Independent Study/Directed Group Study will count as elective credit towards the major.
Elective Courses: A Rich Array of Disciplinary Options
The Global Health Program offers a wide range of elective courses across diverse disciplines, allowing students to tailor their learning to their specific interests within global health.
Biological Sciences Electives:
Note: For the BA degree, one biological science elective must be upper division.
Lower Division (for BA only):
- ANTH 2. Human Origins
- ANTH 43. Introduction to Biology and Culture of Race
- BILD 3. Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
- BILD 18. Human Impact on the Environment
- BILD 20. Human Genetics in Modern Society
- BILD 22. Human Nutrition
- BILD 26. Human Physiology
- BILD 30. Biology of Plagues: Past and Present
- BILD 36. AIDS, Science, and Society
- BILD 38. Dementia, Science, and Society
- BILD 60. Biology and Diversity: Use and Misuse of Science to Justify Bias, Inequity, Exclusion, and Prejudice
- COGS 11. Minds and Brains
- COGS 17. Neurobiology of Cognition
- ENVR 30. Environmental Issues: Natural Sciences
Upper Division (prerequisites listed):
- ANBI 116. Human Sexuality in Evolutionary Perspective
- ANBI 131. Biology and Culture of Race
- ANBI 134. Human Evolutionary Genetics
- ANBI 139. Evolution of Human Disease
- ANBI 140. The Evolution of the Human Brain
- ANBI 141. The Evolution of Human Diet
- BIBC 102. Metabolic Biochemistry (CHEM 40A-B)
- BIBC 103. Biochemical Techniques (BILD 1)
- BIBC 120. Nutrition (BIBC 102)
- BICD 100. Genetics (BILD 1)
- BICD 110. Cell Biology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102)
- BICD 136. AIDS, Science, and Society (BILD 1, BILD 2 recommended)
- BICD 140. Immunology (BICD 100, BIMM 100)
- BIEB 150. Evolution (BILD 3 and BILD 1 or BIEB 143)
- BIEB 176. Conservation and the Human Predicament (ANTH 2 or BILD 3)
- BIMM 100. Molecular Biology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102, BICD 100)
- BIMM 110. Molecular Basis of Human Disease (BICD 100, BIBC 102, BIMM 100)
- BIMM 114. Virology (BIMM 100)
- BIMM 120. Microbiology (BILD 1 and BIBC 100 or BIBC 102)
- BIMM 124. Medical Microbiology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102 recommended)
- BIPN 100. Human Physiology I (BILD 1 and BILD 2)
- BIPN 102. Human Physiology II (BIPN 100)
- BIPN 134. Human Reproduction (BIPN 100)
- COGS 174. Drugs: Brain, Mind, and Culture
- FMPH 101. Epidemiology (FMPH 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B)
- FMPH 102. Biostatistics in Public Health (FMPH 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B)
- GLBH 102. Global Health Epidemiology (STATS: GLBH 20 or FMPH 40)
- HDS 110. Brain and Behavioral Development (HDP 1 or PSYC 101)
- SOCI 107. Epidemiological Methods: Statistical Study of Disease (SOCI 60)
Medical Social Sciences Electives:
Anthropology
- ANSC 101. Aging: Culture and Health in Late Life Human Development (cross-listed with GLBH 101)
- ANSC 105. Global Health and Inequality (cross-listed with GLBH 105)
- ANSC 106. Global Health: Indigenous Medicines in Latin America
- ANSC 121. Psychological Anthropology
- ANSC 129. Meaning and Healing (cross-listed with GLBH 129)
- ANSC 139. Native American Health and Healing (cross-listed with GLBH 139)
- ANSC 143. Mental Health as a Global Health Priority (cross-listed with GLBH 143)
- ANSC 144. Immigrant and Refugee Health
- ANSC 146. A Global Health Perspective on HIV/AIDS (cross-listed with GLBH 146)
- ANSC 147. Global Health and the Environment (cross-listed with GLBH 147)
- ANSC 149. Health, Conflict, and Inequality
- ANSC 150. Culture and Mental Health (cross-listed with GLBH 150)
- ANSC 155. Humanitarian Aid: What Is It Good For?
- ANSC 156. Mad Films
- ANSC 164. Introduction to Medical Anthropology
- ANSC 182. Gun Violence as Social Pathology
Communication
- COMM 114J. CSI: Food Justice
Critical Gender Studies
- CGS 123. Gender and Reproductive Politics (CGS 2A-B) (if not used for global processes)
Economics
- ECON 140. Economics of Health-Care Producers (ECON 2 or 100B)
- ECON 141. Economics of Health-Care Consumers (ECON 100C)
Ethnic Studies
- ETHN 142. Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality
Family Medicine and Public Health
- FMPH 102. Biostatistics in Public Health (FMPH 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B)
- FMPH 110. Health Behavior and Chronic Disease (FMPH 40)
Global Health
- GLBH 100. Special Topics in Global Health
- GLBH 101. Aging: Culture and Health in Late Life Human Development (cross-listed with ANSC 101)
- GLBH 103. Global Health Disparities and the Quest for Global Health Equity
- GLBH 105. Global Health and Inequality (cross-listed with ANSC 105)
- GLBH 106. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Global Health
- GLBH 108S. The Indigenous Futures Lab (IFL) Field School: Enhancing Ethical Genomic Research with Indigenous Communities
- GLBH 110. Demography and Social Networks in Global Health
- GLBH 111. Clinic on the Border: Health Frontiers in Tijuana
- GLBH 113. Women’s Health in Global Perspective
- GLBH 129. Meaning and Healing (cross-listed with ANSC 129) (if not taken for medical humanities)
- GLBH 139. Native American Health and Healing (cross-listed with GLBH 139)
- GLBH 141. Clinical Perspectives in Global Health
- GLBH 142. “When the field is a ward”: Ethnographies of the Clinic
- GLBH 143. Mental Health as a Global Health Priority (cross-listed with ANSC 143)
- GLBH 146. A Global Health Perspective on HIV (cross-listed with ANSC 146)
- GLBH 147. Global Health and the Environment (cross-listed with ANSC 147)
- GLBH 150. Culture and Mental Health (cross-listed with ANSC 150)
- GLBH 160. Global Health Policy (if not taken for policy analysis requirement)
- GLBH 162. Research Translation for Global Health
- GLBH 163. Global Health Technology
- GLBH 170R. Global Burden of Disease
- GLBH 171R. Global Mental Health
- GLBH 173. Substance Use and Global Mental Health: Case Studies for Research and Praxis
- GLBH 197. Global Health Academic Internship Program
- GLBH 198. Directed Group Study
- GLBH 199. Independent Study in Global Health Field Experience
Political Science
- POLI 111D. Social Norms and Harmful Practices
Psychology
- PSYC 100. Clinical Psychology
- PSYC 101. Developmental Psychology
- PSYC 116. Laboratory in Clinical Psychology Research
- PSYC 124. Clinical Assessment and Treatment
- PSYC 125. Clinical Neuropsychology
- PSYC 134. Eating Disorders
- PSYC 143. Control and Analysis of Human Behavior
- PSYC 155. Social Psychology and Medicine
- PSYC 168. Psychological Disorders of Childhood
- PSYC 172. Psychology of Human Sexuality
- PSYC 179. Drugs, Addiction, and Mental Disorders
- PSYC 181. Drugs and Behavior
- PSYC 188. Impulse and Control Disorders
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- SIO 116. Global Health and Climate Change (if not taken for a global processes elective)
- SIO 189. Pollution, the Environment, and Health
Sociology
- SOCI 113. Sociology of the AIDS Epidemic
- SOCI 134. The Making of Modern Medicine
- SOCI 135. Medical Sociology
- SOCI 136E. Sociology of Mental Illness: A Historical Approach
- SOCI 136F. Sociology of Mental Illness in Contemporary Society
- SOCI 138. Genetics and Society
- SOCI 143. Suicide
- SOCI 173. Sociology of Health, Illness, and Medicine
Urban Studies and Planning
- USP 143. The US Healthcare System
- USP 144. Environmental and Preventive Health Issues
- USP 145. Aging: The Social and Health Policy Issues
- USP 147. Case Studies in Health-Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Populations (if not taken for policy analysis requirement)
Medical Humanities Electives:
Anthropology
- ANSC 129. Meaning and Healing (cross-listed with GLBH 129) (if not taken for medical social science elective)
- ANSC 188. Cultures of Healing
- ANCS 190. Yoga Practices: From Banaras to Beverly Hills
Critical Gender Studies
- CGS 111. Gender and the Body
Global Health
- GLBH 104. Humanities, Ethics, and Professionalism: Engaging Moral Imaginaries for Exploring Health and the Human Condition
- GLBH 107. Refugee Health in Local and Global Contexts
- GLBH 129. Meaning and Healing (cross-listed with ANSC 129) (if not taken for medical social science elective)
History
- HISC 108. Life Sciences in the Twentieth Century
- HISC 109. Invention of Tropical Disease
- HISC 115. History of Modern Medicine
- HISC 116. History of Bioethics
- HISC 117. History of Neuroscience
- HISC 119. Biology and Society
- HISC 176. History of Medicine in East and Southeast Asia
Literature
- LTCS 155. Health and Illness in Global Culture
- LTCS 165. Politics of Food
- LTWL 177. Literature and Aging
Philosophy
- PHIL 150. Philosophy of Cognitive Sciences
- PHIL 163. Biomedical Ethics
- PHIL 164. Technology and Human Values
- PHIL 173. Topics in Bioethics
Global Processes Electives (Required for BA only):
Anthropology
- ANAR 146. Feeding the World
- ANBI 132. Conservation and the Human Predicament
- ANSC 124. Cultural Anthropology
- ANSC 125. Gender, Sexuality, and Society
- ANSC 140/HMNR 101. Human Rights II: Contemporary Issues
- ANSC 142. Anthropology of Latin America
- ANSC 145A. International Politics and Drugs
- ANSC 154. Gender and Religion
- ANSC 160. Nature, Culture, and the Environment
- ANSC 168. The Human Condition
Communication
- COMM 112G. IM: Language and Globalization
- COMM 114J. CSI: Food Justice (if not used for medical social science elective)
- COMM 179. Media and Technology: Global Nature and Global Culture
Critical Gender Studies
- CGS 114. Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Class (cross-listed with ETHN 183)
- CGS 123. Gender and Reproductive Politics (CGS 2A-B) (if not taken for medical social science elective)
Ethnic Studies
- ETHN 142. Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality
- ETHN 183. Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Class (cross-listed with CGS 114)
Latin American Studies
- LATI 122B. Field Research Methods for Migration Studies: Practicum
Political Science
- POLI 108. Politics of Multiculturalism
- POLI 113A. East Asian Thought in Comparative Perspective
- POLI 122. Politics of Human Rights
- POLI 125. Gender, Politics, and Globalization
- POLI 125B. The Politics of Food in a Global Economy
- POLI 127. Politics of Developing Countries
- POLI 136. Religion and Politics
- POLI 136A. Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
- POLI 140D. International Human Rights Law: Migrant Populations
- POLI 145A. International Politics and Drugs
- POLI 150A. Politics of Immigration
- POLI 151. International Organizations
Sociology
- SOCI 111. Local Lives, Global Problems
- SOCI 127. Immigration, Race, and Ethnicity
- SOCI 169. Citizenship, Community, and Culture
- SOCI 185. Globalization and Social Development
- SOCI 188E. Community and Social Change in Africa
- SOCI 188J. Change in Modern South Africa
Significant Writing Courses (Required for BA only):
- ANSC 106. Global Health: Indigenous Medicines in Latin America
- ANSC 121. Psychological Anthropology
- ANSC/GLBH 129. Meaning and Healing
- ANSC 144. Immigrant and Refugee Health
- ANSC 149. Conflict, Health and Inequality
- ANSC 155. Humanitarian Aid: What is it good for?
- ANSC 156. Mad Films
- ANSC 164. Introduction to Medical Anthropology
- ANSC 182. Gun Violence as Social Pathology
- ANSC 188. Cultures of Healing
- ANSC 190. Yoga Practices: From Banaras to Beverly Hills
- ANAR 146. Feeding the World
- ANBI 132. Conservation and the Human Predicament
- ANSC 124. Cultural Anthropology
- ANSC 125. Gender, Sexuality, and Society
- ANSC 140/HMNR 101. Human Rights II: Contemporary Issues
- ANSC 142. Anthropology of Latin America
- ANSC 145A. International Politics and Drugs
- ANSC 154. Gender and Religion
- ANSC 160. Nature, Culture, and the Environment
- ANSC 168. The Human Condition
- CGS 111. Gender and the Body
- GLBH/ANSC 101. Aging: Culture and Health in Late Life Human Development
- GLBH/ANSC 105. Global Health and Inequality
- GLBH 110. Demography and Social Networks in Global Health
- GLBH 111. Clinic on the Border: Health Frontiers in Tijuana
- GLBH/ANSC 146. A Global Health Perspective on HIV/AIDS
- GLBH/ANSC 147. Global Health and the Environment
- GLBH/ANSC 150. Culture and Mental Health
- HISC 108. Life Sciences in the Twentieth Century
- HISC 109. Invention of Tropical Medicine
- HISC 115. History of Modern Medicine
- HISC 116. History of Bioethics
- HISC 117. History of Neuroscience
- HISC 119. Biology and Society
- PHIL 150. Philosophy of Cognitive Science
- PHIL 163. Biomedical Ethics
- PHIL 164. Technology and Human Values
- PHIL 173. Topics in Bioethics
- USP 143. The US Health Care System
- USP 144. Environmental and Preventive Health Issues
- PSYC 116. Laboratory in Clinical Psychotherapy Research
- POLI 150A. Politics of Immigration (DEI overlap)
- POLI 151. International Organizations
The Global Health Minor: Focused Expertise in Global Well-being (Seven Courses/Twenty-Eight Units)
For students seeking to complement their major field of study with expertise in global health, the Global Health Minor provides a focused and impactful program. This minor requires seven courses, totaling twenty-eight units, and offers a broad exploration of key global health topics, including healthcare systems, health education, environmental health, infectious diseases, mental health, health disparities, the health consequences of conflict and disasters, indigenous healing practices, nutrition, and reproductive health. The Global Health Minor is excellent preparation for careers in research, education, service organizations working with immigrant communities, government agencies, health professions, and law. The minor also cultivates research and writing skills, making it a strong foundation for students considering medical school or graduate studies.
The Global Health Minor curriculum consists of seven courses, with at least five required to be upper-division. All courses applied to the minor must be completed with a grade of C– or better.
I. Required Core Courses (Three Courses/Twelve Units)
All Global Health Minor students must complete three core courses, designed to introduce the field from both public health and medical social science perspectives:
Choose one introductory course from:
- HILD 30. History of Public Health OR
- GLBH 20. Introduction to Global Health
Choose two courses from the following foundational options:
- GLBH 148. Global Health and Cultural Diversity (cross-listed with ANSC 148)
- GLBH 181. Essentials of Global Health
- MGT 173. Project Management in the Health Services
II. Health-Related Biological Science (Choose One)
All minors must complete at least one biological science course relevant to global health, selected from the approved elective list for the minor.
Lower Division:
- ANTH 2. Human Origins
- ANTH 43. Introduction to Biology and Culture of Race
- BILD 3. Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
- BILD 18. Human Impact on the Environment
- BILD 22. Human Nutrition
- BILD 26. Human Physiology
- BILD 36. AIDS, Science, and Society
- BILD 38. Dementia, Science, and Society
- BILD 60. Biology and Diversity: Use and Misuse of Science to Justify Bias, Inequity, Exclusion, and Prejudice
- COGS 11. Minds and Brains
- COGS 17. Neurobiology of Cognition
- ENVR 30. Environmental Issues: Natural Sciences
Upper Division (prerequisites listed):
- ANBI 116. Human Sexuality in an Evolutionary Perspective
- ANBI 131. Biology and Culture of Race
- ANBI 134. Human Evolutionary Genetics
- ANBI 139. Evolution of Human Disease
- ANBI 140. The Evolution of the Human Brain
- ANBI 141. The Evolution of Human Diet
- BIBC 102. Metabolic Biochemistry (CHEM 40A-B)
- BIBC 103. Biochemical Techniques (BILD 1)
- BIBC 120. Nutrition (BIBC 102)
- BICD 100. Genetics (BILD 1)
- BICD 110. Cell Biology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102)
- BICD 136. AIDS, Science, and Society (BILD 1, BILD 2 recommended)
- BICD 140. Immunology (BICD 100, BIMM 100)
- BIEB 150. Evolution (BILD 3 and BILD 1 or BIEB 143)
- BIEB 176. Conservation and the Human Predicament (ANTH 2 or BILD 3)
- BIMM 100. Molecular Biology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102, BICD 100)
- BIMM 110. Molecular Basis of Human Disease (BICD 100, BIBC 102, BIMM 100)
- BIMM 114. Virology (BIMM 100)
- BIMM 120. Microbiology (BILD 1 and BIBC 100 or BIBC 102)
- BIMM 124. Medical Microbiology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102 recommended)
- BIPN 100. Human Physiology I (BILD 1 and BILD 2)
- BIPN 102. Human Physiology II (BIPN 100)
- BIPN 134. Human Reproduction (BIPN 100)
- COGS 174. Drugs: Brain, Mind, and Culture
- FMPH 101. Epidemiology (FMPH 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B)
- FMPH 102. Biostatistics in Public Health (FMPH 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B)
- HDS 110. Brain and Behavioral Development (HDP 1 or PSYC 101)
- SOCI 107. Epidemiological Methods: Statistical Study of Disease (SOCI 60)
Note: Taking a course to fulfill this biological science requirement does not prevent students from taking another course from this list as an elective for the minor.
III. Elective Course Work (Choose Three):
The Global Health Minor offers a diverse selection of elective courses, allowing students to explore specific areas of interest within the field.
Anthropology
- ANSC 101. Aging: Culture and Health in Late Life Human Development (cross-listed with GLBH 101)
- ANSC 105. Global Health and Inequality (cross-listed with GLBH 105)
- ANSC 106. Global Health: Indigenous Medicines in Latin America
- ANSC 121. Psychological Anthropology
- ANSC 129. Religion and Healing (cross-listed with GLBH 129)
- ANSC 139. Native American Health and Healing (cross-listed with GLBH 139)
- ANSC 143. Mental Health as Global Health Priority (cross-listed with GLBH 143)
- ANSC 144. Immigrant and Refugee Health
- ANSC 146. A Global Health Perspective on HIV (cross-listed with GLBH 146)
- ANSC 147. Global Health and the Environment (cross-listed with GLBH 147)
- ANSC 149. Health, Conflict, and Inequality
- ANSC 150. Culture and Mental Health (cross-listed with GLBH 150)
- ANSC 155. Humanitarian Aid: What Is It Good For?
- ANSC 156. Mad Films
- ANSC 164. Introduction to Medical Anthropology
- ANSC 182. Gun Violence as Social Pathology
- ANSC 188. Cultures of Healing
Critical Gender Studies
- CGS 111. Gender and the Body
- CGS 123. Gender and Reproductive Politics (CGS 2A-B)
Communication
- COMM 114J. CSI: Food Justice
Economics
- ECON 140. Economics of Health Producers (ECON 2 or 100B)
- ECON 141. Economics of Health Consumers (ECON 100C)
Ethnic Studies
- ETHN 142. Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality
- ETHN 183. Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Class (cross-listed with CGS 114)
Family Medicine and Public Health
- FMPH 110. Health Behavior and Chronic Diseases (FMPH 40)
Global Health
- GLBH 100. Special Topics in Global Health
- GLBH 101. Aging: Culture and Health in Late Life Human Development (cross-listed with GLBH 101)
- GLBH 103. Global Health Disparities and the Quest for Global Health Equity
- GLBH 104. Humanities, Ethics, and Professionalism: Engaging Moral Imaginaries for Exploring Health and the Human Condition
- GLBH 105. Global Health and Inequality (cross-listed with ANSC 105)
- GLBH 106. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Global Health
- GLBH 107. Refugee Health in Local and Global Contexts
- GLBH 108S. The Indigenous Futures Lab (IFL) Field School: Enhancing Ethical Genomic Research with Indigenous Communities
- GLBH 110. Demography and Social Networks in Global Health
- GLBH 111. Clinic on the Border: Health Frontiers in Tijuana
- GLBH 113. Women’s Health in Global Perspective
- GLBH 129. Meaning and Healing (cross-listed with ANSC 129)
- GLBH 139. Native American Health and Healing (cross-listed with GLBH 139)
- GLBH 142. “When the field is a ward”: Ethnographies of the Clinic
- GLBH 143. Mental Health as Global Health Priority (cross-listed with GLBH 143)
- GLBH 146. A Global Health Perspective on HIV (cross-listed with ANSC 146)
- GLBH 147. Global Health and the Environment (cross-listed with GLBH 147)
- GLBH 148. Global Health and Cultural Diversity (if not taken for core course)
- GLBH 150. Culture and Mental Health (cross-listed with ANSC 150)
- GLBH 160. Global Health Policy
- GLBH 162. Research Translation for Global Health
- GLBH 163. Global Health Technology
- GLBH 170R. Global Burden of Disease
- GLBH 171R. Global Mental Health
- GLBH 173. Substance Use and Global Mental Health: Case Studies for Research and Praxis
- GLBH 181. Essentials of Global Health (if not taken for core course)
- GLBH 197. Global Health Academic Internship Program
- GLBH 198. Directed Group Study
- GLBH 199. Independent Study in Global Health Field Experience
History
- HISC 108. Life Sciences in the Twentieth Century
- HISC 109. Invention of Tropical Disease
- HISC 115. History of Modern Medicine
- HISC 116. History of Bioethics
- HISC 117. History of Neuroscience
- HISC 119. Biology and Society
- HISC 176. History of Medicine in East and Southeast Asia
Literature
- LTCS 155. Health and Illness in Global Culture
- LTCS 165. The Politics of Food
- LTWL 177. Literature and Aging
Rady School of Management
- MGT 173. Project Management: Health Services (if not taken for core course)
Philosophy
- PHIL 150. Philosophy of the Cognitive Sciences
- PHIL 163. Biomedical Ethics
- PHIL 164. Technology and Human Values
- PHIL 173. Topics in Bioethics
Psychology
- PSYC 100. Clinical Psychology
- PSYC 101. Developmental Psychology
- PSYC 116. Laboratory in Clinical Psychology Research
- PSYC 124. Clinical Assessment and Treatment
- PSYC 125. Clinical Neuropsychology
- PSYC 134. Eating Disorders
- PSYC 143. Control and Analysis of Human Behavior
- PSYC 155. Social Psychology and Medicine
- PSYC 168. Psychological Disorders of Childhood
- PSYC 172. Psychology of Human Sexuality
- PSYC 179. Drugs, Addiction, and Mental Disorders
- PSYC 181. Drugs and Behavior
- PSYC 188. Impulse and Control Disorders
Political Science
- POLI 111D. Social Norms and Global Development
Revelle Global Seminars
- REV 160 and 165 GS. Public Health and Epidemiology I and II
Sociology
- SOCI 113. Sociology of the AIDS Epidemic
- SOCI 134. The Making of Modern Medicine
- SOCI 135. Medical Sociology
- SOCI 136E. Sociology of Mental Illness: A Historical Approach
- SOCI 136F. Sociology of Mental Illness in Contemporary Society
- SOCI 138. Genetics and Society
- SOCI 143. Suicide
- SOCI 173. Sociology of Health, Illness, and Medicine
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- SIO 116. Global Health and Climate Change
- SIO 189. Pollution, Environment, and Health
Urban Studies and Planning
- USP 143. The US Healthcare System
- USP 144. Environmental and Preventive Health Issues
- USP 145. Aging: Social and Health Policy Issues
- USP 147. Case Studies in Health Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Population
IV. Global Health Minor Field Experience (Optional)
Global Health Minor students have the option to further enhance their learning through a 100-hour Global Health Field Experience, complementing their coursework with practical engagement.
The Field Experience project, similar to the major requirement, is conducted at a research, service, or clinical site domestically or abroad. Approval is required from the advisory committee, and relevant UC San Diego offices (Study Abroad or Academic Internship Program). Projects focus on key global health areas: healthcare, health education, environmental health, infectious diseases, mental health, health disparities, disaster/violence related health issues, indigenous healing, nutrition, and reproductive health. This experience is designed to integrate “mind, hands, and heart,” fostering scientific, pragmatic, and humanistic learning outcomes.
Field Experience Requirement:
- Minimum 100 hours, across up to three programs.
- Domestic or international options, with approval.
- Non-credit or credit-bearing options available.
Field Experience Criteria:
- Meaningful, challenging work contributing to agency goals and client needs.
- Direct client or client-service provider interaction.
- Opportunity to learn about global health issues in practice.
- On-site orientation, training, and supervision.
- Proof of health insurance and pre-departure orientation for international programs.
Credit-bearing option: Minors can petition to enroll in up to two Independent Study (GLBH 199) or Directed Group Study (GLBH 198) courses for academic credit, under faculty mentorship. This involves readings, reflective journals, and papers to contextualize the Field Experience within global health scholarship, and counts as elective credit towards the minor.
